Haunted Utah 

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NO MORE FEARS
Utah abounds with safe spooks and friendly fall activities for the whole family.
By Deann Armes

There's no shortage of non-scary Halloween fun for families along the Wasatch Front. This handpicked list of Utah's favorite kid-friendly hotspots will help you plan a season of family activities to enjoy before cold weather hits.

Pumpkin Patch Hayrides and Hot Apple Cider Donuts Rowley's Red Barn at South Ridge Farms October is the only time you can get your hands on these scrumptious apple-cider donuts. After you've indulged in one (or more) of these seasonal treats, take a laidback hayride through the fall fruit trees to the pumpkin patch. Kids will love mucking around the acres of vines hunting for the perfect pumpkin, while moms and dads can capture timeless photos at the many ideal picture spots on this beautiful farm in Santaquin. 901 S. 300 West, Santaquin, 801-754-5511, Sept. 26-Oct. 30, Monday-Saturday, hours vary, $4-$5, kids under 2 free. SouthRidgeFarms.com

Harvest Hayride and Corn Mazes Black Island Farms There is something for all harvest hunters, young and old, at this gigantic vegetable farm in Davis County. The Courtyard is full of fall fun—a corn box, bounce house, Animal Alley, bonfires, straw mountain, cow train and much more—to keep the whole family engaged. Older kids can venture to Nightmare Acres, and nobody will be bored with the farm's multitude of corn mazes. 3178 S. 3000 West, Syracuse, 801-774-6293, through Nov. 1, seven days a week, hours vary by attraction, $9-$20. BlackIslandFarms.com

• Creatures of the Night at the Ogden Nature Center

Wild Wednesdays Ogden Nature Center Who says Halloween has to be all about sugar and make-believe? Sneak in some educational, slightly creepy fun for your little ones at this large nature preserve in Ogden. The center's hands-on Wednesday nature lessons for kids take on a seasonal theme throughout October, featuring sessions on owls, spiders, snakes and bats. The special event Creatures of the Night (Oct. 24 & 25, 5-8 p.m., $5-6, kids 3 and under free) is a chance for the little ones to don costumes, meet local spiders, visit the Hilarious House of Hoots, navigate a web crawl and play carnival games. 966 W. 12th St., Ogden, 801-621-7595, times and prices vary. OgdenNatureCenter.org

• The Haunted Half

The Haunted Half Memory Grove Park and Provo Canyon Active families can get some extra mileage out of their costumes for these races through Salt Lake City's Memory Grove Park (Oct. 18) and Provo Canyon (Oct. 25). Adults can run in the half marathon or 5K, while even reluctant young runners might find that they have the candy-fueled energy needed to run the half-mile kids race. And the whole family will enjoy costume contests, entertainment and, of course, more candy. Info on pricing, race locations and registration at TheHauntedHalf.com

Monster Block Party The Gallivan Center Yes, you can find traditional fall fun in the middle of the city. This free event in downtown Salt Lake City has something for partygoers of all ages: arts and crafts, live performances, trick-or-treating booths, a costume contest and more. 239 S. Main, Salt Lake City, Oct. 25, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., free. TheGallivanCenter.com

Garden After Dark Red Butte Garden Little goblins and ghouls can wander through Red Butte Garden's endless flowers and plants searching for hidden fairy-tale villains. Festive light displays, crafts and other activities provide enchanting merriment for the whole family. 300 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, 801-585-0556, Oct. 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, 6-9 p.m., $6-$12. RedButteGarden.org

Sixth-Annual Giant Pumpkin Drop Hee Haw Farms This event is exactly what it sounds like: giant pumpkins being dropped from giant heights into pools of water and onto cars, dummies and other pumpkins. The pumpkin drop doesn't begin till Oct. 26 at noon, but Hee Haw has plenty to offer families in the meantime, including trick-or-treat hayrides and haunted hayrides, a pumpkin patch, farmyard paintball, pig chases, an animal train and a corn cannon. 150 N. 2000 West, Pleasant Grove, 801-368-0255, Sept. 26 through October, times vary, $6 and up. HeeHawFarms.com

Witchfest Gardner Village A scavenger hunt sends wee folks running through this "village" of relocated historic Salt Lake City homes in search of funny, crazy witches. The Wee Witches Playground, new this year, includes a giant pillow jump, spider-web climb, witches disco and even a candy-corn pool. Other seasonal Gardner Village activities—Wee Witches Weekend, Flight of the Witches Ride, Breakfast With a Witch, and more—will ensure your family will have something to do during all of the witching hours. 1100 W. 7800 South, West Jordan, 801-566-8903, through Oct. 31, Monday-Saturday, specific dates, times and prices vary. GardnerVillage.com

Little Haunts This Is the Place Heritage Park Looking for low-key fall fun? This is the place for Halloween crafts, pony rides, trick-or-treating and train rides. And parents and kids can rest their weary bones during a visit with the friendly Story Witch. 2601 Sunnyside Ave., Salt Lake City, 801-582-1847, Oct. 16, 17, 18, 25, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., $8-$11, free for kids 2 and under. ThisIsThePlace.org

Pumpkin Festival Family Train Experience Heber Valley Railroad Utah's famous train has Halloween fun for all. Climb aboard this 40-minute train ride to be entertained by costumed folks and given a delicious pumpkin cookie. And, if you dare, you can also take a trip through the haunted car at the depot. 450 S. 600 West, Heber City, 435-654-5601, dates and times vary, $3-$15. HeberValleyRR.org

Halloween Central: Nod to Oz Thanksgiving Point A Laughin' Pass to the popular Cornbelly's Cornmaze includes all non-haunted activities, like the Jumper Air Pillow, cow train, chicken show, pumpkin princess playground, animal band and more. Don't miss the adorable Emerald City at Farm Country during the entire month of October—but watch out for the Wicked Witch of the West. 3003 N. Thanksgiving Way, Lehi, 801-794-3276, Oct. 3-Nov. 1, Monday-Saturday, hours vary, $7 and up. Cornbellys.com